National Clerihew Day

Every year on July 10, all lovers of poetry celebrate National Clerihew Day. This day is dedicated to the poetic style created by the humorist and writer Edmund Clerichue Bentley. His four-line biographical poems show an unusual approach to poetry.

The History

Edmund Clerichue Bentley was born in 1875 and composed his first Clerichue at the age of 16. This poem was dedicated to “vile sauce”. Later, several rules for composing poetry in this genre appeared. First, it should consist of four lines, where the first rhymes with the second, and the third with the fourth. Secondly, in the first line you need to include the name of the person and say something about him. The third and final rule is that it must be a funny poem. Not only Bentley wrote in this genre, Gavin Ewart, William Hazell, Paul Ingram had similar poems.

Interesting facts

On the occasion of National Day, let us remember that:

• in 1905, Bentley’s Biography for Beginners was published;
• 40 centuries ago, the first poem known to the world was written;
• Metrophobia is the fear of poetry.

How to celebrate

The tradition of reading poetry is one of the oldest in human civilization, and this can be done during the national day. You can look for poetry readings that take place near you and try to attend at least one of them. You can try to write a simple poem in the genre of cleric, which can be inspired by life situations. The resulting quatrains can be published on social networks or later published in book format. You can also encourage the creativity of children and organize a poetry writing contest, and give prizes for the most successful of them.

When is National Clerihew Day Celebrated in 2022?

National Clerihew Day is associated with the anticipation of happiness and joy. It is observed on July the 10th each year.

Observations